Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of CMOS image sensors.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a CMOS image sensor comprises pixels arranged in an array of rows and columns. Each pixel comprises a photodiode, having its junction capacitance discharged by a photocurrent according to a received light intensity. At the end of a period, called image acquisition or integration period, before which the pixel is reset by recharging of its photodiode, the photogenerated charges stored in the photodiode are transferred to a capacitive sense node of the pixel. The illumination level received by the pixel is measured by measurement of the voltage of its sense node. For this purpose, each pixel comprises a read circuit coupling its sense node to an output conductive track. The different output conductive tracks of the sensor are connected to an output stage of the sensor, particularly carrying out functions of sampling, amplification, analog-to-digital conversion, and storage of the levels of signals read from the output tracks. Conventionally, the pixels of a same column of the array are connected to a same output conductive track and the pixels of different columns are connected to different output conductive tracks. Generally, the pixels of a same row are simultaneously read from (in parallel) by the sensor output stage, and the pixels of different rows are successively read from.